Grief
by SimplyG
Summary: "She took his face into her hands, pulling their foreheads together. - Mike, it's ok. - she whispered. - Nobody wants to be alone while grieving. -" What could have happened after 02x07 Sacrifice? A story about Mike and Max! R&R


Hi! This is my first "The Following" Fanfiction... First of all, if you haven't seen the episode "Sacrifice" (s02e07), close the page and come back later. If you did watch it, please leave a review and let me know what you think! Second, English is not my mother language, so if there are mistakes, please send me a PM.

I love Maxton (Max and Mike) and this is what could have happened after Mike saw Lily's video.

* * *

Grief

Max turned the doorknob and opened the door. Her uncle was in front of her, a sad expression on his face.

\- What happened, Ryan? - she whispered. As he moved, Max saw Mike standing behind him, dry tears and a vacant look on his face.

\- Later. -

They entered the apartment, followed by Max's worried gaze. Ryan guided Mike to the couch, pushing him down. He watched his friend for a few seconds, expecting some kind of reaction from him. Nothing. He just sat there, his eyes never moving. It seemed like he wasn't even blinking.

Max waited impatiently as Ryan tried to smile briefly and walked towards her. She looked him straight in the eyes.

\- Lily Gray emailed me a video. - he said slowly, rubbing his forehead with his hand.

\- So? What happened to Mike? -

\- Keep your voice down. - Ryan grabbed his niece by her elbow and took some more distance from Mike, still in the same place they left him. - In the video, she... - he sighted. - she was at Mike's dad's house. -

Horror overcame her face.

\- She killed him, Max. She sliced his throat open and he bled to death. Mike saw everything, hell, it was playing on the giant screen. -

Ryan turned his face to look at Mike again as Max covered her mouth with her hand.

\- That bitch... -

\- I brought him here. I think he's in shock... We should keep an eye on him. We don't know what he's gonna do when he comes out of it. -

Max looked over her uncle's shoulder, her eyes full of sadness and pity for the man who sat on the couch.

\- Ok. - she nodded.

\- Do you know where to bed sheets are, right? He's sleeping there tonight. I have to go back to the FBI and coordinate with Mendez. -

\- Of course, Ryan. - she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled. - I'll take care of him. Be careful. -

She put her hand on his arm and slightly squeezed it. He leant towards her and kissed her forehead.

\- See you later. -

\- Bye. - she watched him as he got out, but not before giving Mike another worried look. As soon as the door was closed, she breathed deeply, her hands hiding her face. After a few seconds she shook her head and went to the closet to retrieve blankets and bed sheets.

\- Mike? Mike? Mike? - she said his name in a sweet voice, a small smile on her face. He didn't answer, he just moved slightly his head to her direction.

\- Can you stand up, please, so I can make your bed? -

It took him a while, but he nodded and slowly got up. He took a few steps and then he was off in his world, not paying the slightest attention to what she was doing.

Max put the mattress pad around the couch cushions, a blanket and a pillow to one side of the sofa.

Since he was still not facing her, she gently touched his arm.

\- Mike? Come on, lay here, ok? It's gonna be fine. - She helped him lay down and tuck him in.

\- Call me if you need anything, ok, Mike? - She looked into his blue eye and saw a deep pain, the same pain she felt when her father died. The loss, the grief he was feeling was one of the worst things for a human being. A parent should never be taken away prematurely. It affected one's soul, actions and thoughts.

She closed her eyes for a second: she never talked about her father or her mother. They carried to many painful memories, to many things she spent years trying to forget.

\- I know I you feel. I lost my Dad when I was young. Sometimes it help talking to someone who gets it. If you want to talk about it, I'm in the room right there. -

He didn't answer, he just look straight in front of him. She patted his arm one last time, stood up and went to her room.

The doorknob turned, the door squeaked and before she even realized, she was pointing her gun towards the noise.

\- Put your hands up or I'll put a bullet through your brain! - she ordered, squeezing her eyes to see better in the dark.

\- Max... - It was Mike low voice. She let out the breath she was holding.

\- Mike, what is it? Did something happen? - she asked lowering her gun. She put it on her bed and reached for her lamp. The dim light made possible for Max to see Mike's pale face.

\- No. I... ehm... I... Where's Ryan? - he murmured, with his hand still on the doorknob. Max shook her head a couple of times before answering.

\- He went out, to the FBI. -

Mike nodded.

\- I'm going there. - he said turning his back to her and heading towards the living room.

\- What? - She jumped out of bed, following him. She felt a shiver down her spine: she was only wearing a top tank and shorts. She crossed her arms, shivering again. - Mike, what are you doing? -

He started taking off his clothes, first his sweater, then the shirt.

\- You can't go there yet. You need time to process this, your loss. You were in shock for God's sake, Mike! - she started yelling, waving her hands frantically.

\- I need to go, Max. You don't understand, I NEED to go... I have to find that bitch, her sadistic cult and kill them all, ok? -

He turned to her, his face full of anger and hatred. Unwittingly she took a step back. It was like he was ready to hurt her too.

Their eyes locked together and they stood there, both heavily breathing.

\- Mike, please, you're overreacting. I know what grief can do to a man. Look at Ryan! Look how life turned out to be?! You don't want to be consumed by hatred and revenge.-

\- Max, you don't know what I'm feeling, ok! You don't know a damn shit! - he yelled pointing a finger towards her. - Now, can you please get me a change of clothes? I don't care what. - he said unbundling his pants.

\- Stop, stop, stop, Mike. - she walked towards him and put her hands over his. She held them up, looking him straight into his eyes. He tried to fight her and pull his hands out of her grip. They were closer than she expected: she could feel his breath on her face and the heat coming from his body.

\- You'll get yourself killed, Mike. You need to cool off. Then you can go after her, we'll go after her, ok? Ryan and I will help you. She'll get what she deserves. -

Her voice tone was sweet, kind and calm and it made him waver. Without looking away from each other's eyes, Max loosened her grip on Mike's wrists, letting her arms fall along her body. They could both feel the tension between them, something unspoken. He slowly lowered his hand to her face, caressing her cheek.

\- Mike... - she whispered, her heart in her throat. He let his thumb slid across her lips, his fingers intertwined with her hair.

Almost imperceptibly, he leant in and kissed her. At first, she gasped, not expecting it, but as he kept still and their lips locked, Max raised her arms and threw them around Mike's neck. He deepened the kiss, his arms around her waist and he slowly lifted her from the ground. They separated briefly, both out of breath.

\- Mike, what are you doing...? - she managed to whisper before being pulled for another kiss. He clung to her, almost desperately, keeping her as close to his body as possible.

If earlier Max was feeling cold, now it was too hot. Mike's warm skin made her forget everything. Before pulling away completely, he gave her a few butterfly kisses, his lips curved in a slight smile.

They separated just enough to look each other in the eyes. Max raised a hand to run it through his hair, resting on the back of his neck.

\- Mike, what... -

\- Would you lay with me, please? -

His question left her rather astonished: she definitely didn't expect this. Max looked at him with her blue eyes wide open. Mike closed his eyes briefly, suddenly a bit embarrassed.

\- Ok, it doesn't matter. Sorry. I didn't... and the kissing part and... - he started blabbing, not making eye contact with her.

She took his face into her hands, pulling their foreheads together.

\- Mike, it's ok. - she whispered. - Nobody wants to be alone while grieving. -

He nodded slightly, remembering just then what had happened. His face changed expression immediately, all Max could see was sadness and grief.

\- Come on. - she said, taking his hands into hers and pulling him towards her room. As the entered it and made their way to the bed, they didn't spoke.

* * *

Although they got to bed on opposite sides, they both migrated to the centre. They were shoulder by shoulder, supine, staring at the ceiling. Not a single word was being spoken.

Neither of them knew how many minutes had passed. Max let her arms fall to the mattress, sighing rather loudly. Mike turned his head towards her, staring at her beautiful face. He dropped his arms too, reaching for Max's hand. He grabbed it and intertwined their fingers... She moved slightly so she could see him better.

\- Do you want to talk about it? - asked Max finally breaking the silence between them.

\- About the kiss? -

She blushed a little.

\- No, about your father. -

Mike didn't answer right back, he took his time, maybe to try to figure out what to say to her.

\- Not really. -

Max nodded, moving her head again to stare at the ceiling.

Mike wet his lips a few times before asking the next question.

\- Why did you become a cop? Why becoming a badass detective in a city full of crime like New York? You like chasing down criminals and murderers? -

Max didn't know how to answer, so she turned her head to look him in the eyes. As she spoke her voice was hoarse, and at the same time full of pain.

\- My dad was a fireman, my grandfather was a cop, Ryan is a cop and I was brought up as a wannabe police officer. I followed the Hardy tradition. - she smiled, thinking about her father who let her borrow his hat and chased her throughout the house. She felt Mike's hand squeezing hers in a comforting gesture.

\- My dad and grandfather taught me all about being a cop. - Max chuckled. - They even gave me a fake badge, you know, with "Best Detective" engraved on it. I used to carry it with me all the time. -

Mike smiled, imagining a young Max with her ponytail and fierce expression running around pretending to arrest criminals and thieves.

\- I bet you were so cute. - he smiled, getting his head closer to hers. Their noses were nearly touching, their eyes connected.

\- Why don't you tell me a little bit about your dad? What was he like? - Mike took a deep breath. Just the thought of talking to his dad brought up tears in his eyes.

\- He All he talked about was - He stopped. - My relationship with him was always a bit difficult, basically because of the douches I have for brothers who looked down on me from their pedestals. I was always the little brother for them. -

He stared at her for a few seconds. Max smiled, encouraging him to go on.

\- After what happened last year, I'm sure Ryan has told you, and my decision to come back and fight Joe despite his wishes - he said, not meeting her gaze. - he was still my dad. Despite all the problems we had, I still loved him. -

Max raised her hand to run it through his hair and rest against his cheek.

\- I know -

A solitary tear fell from his eye, running down his cheek. Max, with watery eyes herself, wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pushing him towards her. They hugged, keeping each other close, as if their proximity was the only thing that mattered.

\- It'll pass, Mike. You won't alway feel this way. - she whispered to his ear while rubbing his back in a gentle motion.

* * *

Max jerked awake. Her uncle's face a few inches from hers.

\- Hi. - he whispered.

\- Hey. -

\- Everything ok? -

Max looked down. Mike's body was almost covering hers, their legs intertwined and his head was gently resting on her chest. He had one arm around her waist, keeping her close.

\- What time is it? - she asked rubbing her eyes with her free hand.

\- 5.30 AM. Do you want to get up? - he asked her pointing a finger towards the kitchen. - I can make you breakfast. -

\- Sure. -

She tried to disentangle herself from Mike, but as soon as he started to feel her shifting, his hold got even more tight.

\- You know, I think I'll stay here for a little while longer. - With the hand that rested on his head, she stroke his hair a few times, enjoying the feeling of him so close to her.

Almost as if he read her mind, Mike slightly moved, burying his head deeper into her neck.

Max smiled. Nobody was getting her out of that bed, not even Joe Carroll himself.

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